my heart is a house

It had been a while since Frodo had visited this place. He figured this would be less like a drunken pub compared to the others and thought it'd be fine. But right now his main concern was his sister. He wondered if his stepfather had been owling her as well saying the most insensible things.

He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling tired and frustrated, but hoping to talk to a friend and listen to someone else vent. Sitting at the bar, he ordered a glass of Butterbeer and gladly welcomed the sweetness.

Paloma sighed as she pushed through the crowd on the streets and made her way to the Golden Thestral. It had been a weird holiday. Weird, but nice. For the first time in many years, there were no fights or arguments and the girl could only be grateful.

She sat at the bar, hoping to enjoy her last days before she went back to Hogwarts. Yes, she would admit she was missing Durmstrang a bit, but Hogwarts was magnificent.

"Butterbeer, please," Paloma ordered and turned to take a look at the person next to her. A big grin spread on her face as she recognized the boy she had met at the Durmstrang kitchens, nearly a year ago. "Frodo!" she greeted, "Hello."

Frodo turned quickly to look at the girl next to him and his eyes widened in surprise. "Paloma? Hey there, long time no see." He grinned lightly and gave her a hug. This was a good start to the evening, he decided and hoped to make it last for as long as he could. He hadn't seen her since that night in the kitchens and so, this was a pleasant surprise.

"So, how are you? I haven't seen you much around Durmstrang; did you transfer to Hogwarts as well?" He asked, taking a sip of his Butterbeer.

Paloma grinned and gave the boy a hug, "It's really been a while, hasn't it?"

"I'm great, how are you?" she asked, remembering their past conversation, when he said his mother had committed suicide. "I did, actually," Paloma nodded, "It's been really amazing, why didn't you transfer as well? It's a wonderful place."

Frodo smiled lightly and replied, "Yes, feels like ages since we talked. Hope everything's been going well for you."

"I'm definitely better, really," he replied hesitantly. "I mean, things have gotten slightly worse but I'm just trying not to worry too much," he told with a shrug. "I'm only thinking of my sister, at the moment. Wow, thats is really great to hear," he commented genuinely at Paloma's statement. "What's Hogwarts like? Oh, me? I didn't really want to leave Durmstrang, figured I'd miss it too much," he lied, not wanting to admit he actually didn't want to face his sister.

"It's been pretty alright, I guess," Paloma commented with a smile. Things weren't perfect, but right now they were starting to look better.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she said, honestly, and tried to remember what he had told her and Deidre about his sister. "Oh, your little sister goes to Hogwarts, doesn't she?" she asked and wondered why he would be thinking so much about her at the moment. Was she alright? Paloma figured the boy would tell her if he felt like it, so she just nodded.

The Uchitel grinned, "It's wonderful, really. Much better than my sister ever told me. Of course, I do miss Durmstrang, but everything feels. . . lighter there, you know? I mean, sometimes I think our school is just too dark." She nodded, "I understand. It's pretty strange to go somewhere else after so many years in the same place."

"How were your holidays?" Frodo asked with a smile.

"Thanks a lot," he told Paloma softly. "Yeah, she does. She's in Ravenclaw." On seeing her curious expression, he answered, "She's fine, by the way. It's just that our family's been having problems lately and I'm just worried for her. My dad has been hounding me with owls and the only consolation is that she's not a part of it...yet," he confessed and drank some more of his Butterbeer. "And she is short tempered, especially when it comes our father, so I haven't told her about it yet."

He nodded his head in understanding. "Lighter? I definitely know what you mean. Besides, any school would be lighter than Durmstrang," he smiled sheepishly at having sort of insulted his school. "But either way, I'm glad you're enjoying it. And take some pictures as well," he grinned.

"They were great," Paloma answered honestly. "And yours?'

"Oh, Ravenclaw. Nice," she said, grinning, and nodded, "That's terrible. Is there anything I can do to help?" She doubted, as she didn't know much of his family problems and was still just a fourth year, but it didn't hurt to offer. The Uchitel smiled sympathetically at him, "It's nice how much you care about your sister and want to protect her. I haven't met a lot of people like that."

She chuckled, "It's true, though. Thanks, of course I'll take pictures. And if you're needing something from there, I can bring it for you, by the way."

Frodo thought about how to answer the Uchitel's question. "They were...alright," he finally said. "I wish it had been better but I shouldn't complain because it might have been worse."

He chuckled at her comment and nodded his head. "Yeah, she says that I would have been put in Ravenclaw as well. You can help by listening to me in case I need vent," he replied honestly and smiled lightly. "But I'm going to refrain myself from doing that since I have intentions making you feel obligated like I did last time," he said. He shrugged and smiled once more. "Well, she is the only one I can rely on in our family and vice versa." He admitted.

"Thanks so much for the offer, I'll definitely let you know if I need anything," he said. "So, did you make any friends there?" He asked.

Paloma looked at the boy with sympathy, for that was how she'd spent many years thinking. Holidays were usually a mess, but she was always just glad it wasn't first year all over again.

"You can vent as much as you need to, Frodo," she told him, "I like listening to people's problems- Not that like that! I don't like people having problems- I just like thinking they can open up to me. . . yeah." She finished off, lamely, and gave him a sheepish smile, nodding when he said his sister was the only one he could rely on.

The Uchitel shrugged, "No problem. And yeah, I've made a few. I mostly just interact with the exchange students, though. What about the exchange students in Durmstrang? Are they alright?"

Frodo chuckled at Paloma's comment and shook his head. "It's alright, I know what you mean. And thank you, I appreciate it. You are an easy person to talk to, so I can see why you think so as well," he told with a smile. "Plus, you seem like a good listener and that's something the world is really lacking."

"As a Prefect, I can definitely say that Hogwarts students are a tad bit friendlier than our school students," he admitted. "And since many of the fourth and fifth years transferred to Hogwarts, the school hasn't been that active and I actually miss that," he grinned. Especially Kait, he thought with a sigh. "So, do you like it better than Durmstrang?"

Paloma smiled brightly, a smile that resembled her sister's usual one. "Thank you. When people say things like that they- they really make my day, you know?" she admitted, looking down, with a sheepish grin, "But, uh, yeah, I mean it. If you need to vent, I'll be here to listen."

"Oh, you became Prefect? I didn't know, that's amazing, Frodo! Congratulations!" the girl exclaimed, and chuckled a bit at what he said next, "I can imagine. But we'll all be back next year and, hopefully, fifth will be the best year yet." At his question, Paloma stopped to think. "I don't know," she sighed after a few moments, "Hogwarts has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl and it really is amazing, but Durmstrang's. . . Durmstrang. It's been my home for three years."

Frodo couldn't help but smile back at the Uchitel, and replied, "I guess truth can sometimes be a good thing also. And I feel the same when my friends come to me for advice," he blushed lightly. "Thanks again."

He grinned and said, "Thanks a lot. But I can't imagine why they'd make me Prefect other than the fact I'm probably a good student. I mean, I haven't really deducted any points or anything," he shrugged. "Oh, this year isn't going good for you, then?" He asked confusedly. He looked at her in understanding and gave her a hug. "There is no place like home, after all and at the end of the day, that's where we want to be, huh?"

"It's... nice to feel needed," Paloma said wih a small smile. "And no problem, again."

"Well, they made you Prefect because you're a good student and you get good grade, probably, no? I mean, they wouldn't put someone who would totally destroy the school as a Prefect," she noted and wondered who next year's prefects were going to be. "Oh, no, it's great! I just hope fifth will be better. We should always hope for the better, right?" Paloma hugged the boy and smiled, "I guess it is. Even if we do hate home soemtimes, it's home."

"Ah yes, so basically they made me a Prefect because I'm a boring student," Frodo commented with a grin. "I can barely skip class let alone destroy the school. That sounds like something Kait would do," he told teasingly as he mentioned his girlfriend. "Hope for the best and expect the worst," he agreed and smiled lightly.

At Paloma's comment about home, he felt as though the letter was burning a hole in his pocket. "So what do you do if you get disowned from your home and family?" He asked hesitantly.

Paloma laughed and shook her head, "Oh, trust me. I'm a way more boring student than you are." She smiled when he mentioned his girlfriend, thinking how relieved he must have been when he found out she was back. "I met her, you know, at Hogwarts," she told him and nodded, "Exactly. We have to be optimistic, but realistic as well. There's no point in getting your hopes up, only to be disappointed later."

The Uchitel was speechless and she tried to find the right words to say, but she just couldn't think. Frodo had been disowned? "Frodo- I'm- I didn't know- Y-," she sighed and gave him a hug, whispering, "What happened?"

"Someone as fun and talkative as you cannot be classified as boring," Frodo remarked with a light laugh. "Besides, boring teenagers end up doing the best things in life anyway," he said mock seriously and grinned. "You did? She's something, isn't she?" He asked, smiling fondly at the thought of seeing her soon. "Optimistic but realistic; glad we're on the same page."

He hugged her back gratefully and shook his head at her speechlessness. "Hey, it's okay, you don't have to say anything." He sighed and wondered how to explain. "Ever since my mother died, I've been getting into fights with my stepfather. Never liked the man, and I guess he got panicked by the fact I was standing upto him for once," he shrugged as though it was no big deal.

Paloma laughed lightly and smiled, "Well, thank you. But it's true, though! I do consider myself a boring person. I'm not one to act without thinking and I just to everything 'according to the rules', you know?" She shrugged, "Boring teenagers do end up with the best future. But what is life without a little fun, eh? Sometimes I wish I could just act more like- like... like, Aquila Turrow!" She shook her head amusedly and laughed, "I mean, have you seen the boy? I wish I could have that much fun. But I can't cause I'm a naturally boring person."

"I didn't get to talk to her much, it was just one of those random meetings at Hogwarts," the Uchitel explained, "But she seems really nice."

Paloma couldn't believe it- how the man could do such a thing, his own stepson. . . She shook her head, bewildered, "Just he- he simply disowned you? Just like that?"

"Follow the rules and do nothing adventurous? Well, looks like I can join your club them," Frodo remarked and smiled lightly. "I mean, I don't even know how to yell or shout at a person," he admitted. "Plus, I wonder how someone like Kait became interested in me, you know? She's so wild and free and I'm so not."

He chuckled as she mentioned about Aquila. "Yes, the boy does seem to have a certain carefree charm about him."

"I'm not exactly surprised that he did such a thing. He hates me and I hate him, the only reason we never fought was because of my mother," he sighed. "But she's not here anymore, so..." he trailed off.

"Please tell me to stop talking if you want," he said and blushed lightly.

Paloma nodded in agreement, "Exactly! I don't either." She rested her head on her left hand, chuckling, and smiled sheepishly at Frodo, "Once, I tried to be uh, one of those girls who say whatever they're thinking and don't bother with what anyone thinks, you know? It's kind of embarrassing, really, because I totally failed at that. Those people who act like they own the place and snap at anyone, yell at everyone, I tried to act like that, I didn't last five minutes."

"Kait liked you because you're sweet, nice, and smart," she told him, "So what if you're not wild and free all the time? They say opposites attract."

The girl shook her head with a small smile, "It's good to open up. And still, he has no right to disown you. You're still his wife's son." She frowned, "But... who are you living with, now?"

Frodo shook his head with an amused smile at Paloma. "No, don't try to do that, for the simple reasons that it's just not you and it's really annoying really." He chuckled softly as he listened to her and said, "It's no use trying to be something you are not, Paloma. And besides, why would you want to change yourself?"

"Yes, but this is like, too much of opposites, don't you think? I'm not complaining it, just leaves me amazed everytime is all," he admitted.

"Well, he's the one who cheated on my mother and the reason she killed herself, so I'm not surprised that he never cared about me," he said in a neutral tone. "I don't know whom I'm going to live with..." he trailed off.

"Because those people seem to have the most fun," Paloma replied with an embarrassed smile. It was really stupid, now that she thought about it, but at the time, it seemed like the thing to do. "I don't know, I never have a lot of fun, my life is pretty boring."

She smiled sympathetically at him, "You guys balance each other out, it works."

As he explained, Paloma finally started to understand. So he was the reason Frodo's mother was dead. No wonder the boy hated him. When he confessed he didn't know who he was going to live with, she froze. "You- you don't know?" she whispered, her eyes widening a bit, "But... you can't live on the streets... your father, can't you live with him... ?"